


Divided We Stand

by Kaychan87



Category: Captain America (Movies), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cat Grant hates Tony Stark, Civil War (Marvel), Crossover, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Love Triangles, SHIELD, The DEO | Department of Extra-Normal Operations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-06-04 21:44:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6676489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaychan87/pseuds/Kaychan87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark sends his personal assistant to National City in hopes of recruiting Supergirl to his cause when Captain America refuses to get on board with the Sokovia Accords. But as the heroes' civil war drags on and sides are picked, will HYDRA finally achieve its nefarious goals? Or will the two sides be able to stand despite their divided opinions?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

All the televisions at the new Avengers Facility were set to the same live coverage of the bombings at the United Nations. Maia Smith stood around with a group of auxiliary staff, gaping in awe at what was unfolding before their eyes. Her boss, Tony Stark, and several members of the Avengers were there due to their role in Sokovia. Maia chewed on her lower lip as she watched. She wanted more than anything to be able to turn away, to block out what she was seeing and hearing but she couldn’t. She needed to know if Tony was okay, that he wasn’t one of the casualties.

“Miss Smith!”

Maia turned at the sound of the stern yet familiar voice of Captain America, the leader of the Avengers. Her breath caught when she saw the haunted look in his eyes. “Ste… Cap-Captain?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She knew the colour had drained from her face and all she could think was ‘ _nononononono!_ ’ over and over. She hadn’t seen that look on him since Sokovia and before that had been DC. 

“Can we talk?” Maia nodded silently, unable to speak. Steve placed a hand gently on the small of her back and directed her to the room serving as his office. Not only was he the head of the Avengers, but he was head of their training department. Along with their training facility, the building also housed a team of Stark Industry employees and, under the direction of Maria Hill, a SHIELD training facility. Once inside the office, Steve closed the door.

“Steve… is he… is my… Tony?” Maia stammered as she tried to formulate a coherent question.

“He’s a little banged up, but otherwise says he’s fine,” answered the blond haired super soldier. 

“He’s alive,” she breathed. She felt like the weight of the entire world had been lifted off her shoulders. She staggered back into Steve’s desk. “Oh Steve..!” she murmured. Steve closed the distance between them and pulled Maia against him.

“You’re shaking,” he told her as he held her tight. Maia had walked into his life shortly after New York, while he was still splitting his time between SHIELD and the Avengers. It had seemed to him those few years ago that she had walked into Stark Tower and gotten a job without any of the normal processes. There had been things about Maia he’d learned over the time he’d spent with her, including how she came to be Tony Stark’s personal assistant. 

“I’m just so relieved,” she replied as she circled her arms around his waist. “There’s something else, though, isn’t there?” She felt Steve’s arms tighten around her and he buried his face in her dark hair. “Did one of the others…?” she started.

Steve shook his head before pulling away slightly so he could meet her gaze. “They… the authorities think it was… that the Winter Soldier was responsible for this.”

Maia frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. No one had seen the Winter Soldier since the day SHIELD fell. Not even Steve, who Maia knew was actively looking, had been able to find him. “What do you mean?”

“Maia, they’re blaming Bucky.”


	2. Chapter 1

Kara Danvers made her way into Cat Grant’s office, a paper take out coffee cup in hand. It was part of her normal morning routine – when she wasn’t saving the day as Supergirl. Kara was the caped heroine of National City and one of the last few surviving members of a race of aliens from the planet Krypton. She was also the darling of Cat Grant as Supergirl, while as Kara she was just an assistant whose name Cat never got right.

Kara had just enough time to set the cup down before her boss sauntered into the office. “Good morning, Ms. Grant,” greeted Kara.

Cat gave Kara a cursory glance as she took her seat at her desk. “Kira,” Cat said as she sat, as elegant and poised as ever, and began to examine the documents laid out on her desk. “Anthony Stark’s assistant has a meeting with me this morning, Kira.”

Kara nodded. “She’s your ten o’clock,” confirmed the petite blonde.

“How well do you know her?”

“I’ve talked to her once or twice, but we’re not exactly close,” admitted Kara even though she knew that would not b what Cat wanted to hear. “But I think Winn’s pretty close with her.” Cat glanced up at Kara with an annoyed look on her face. “Winn, the tech guy,” supplied Kara quickly.

“You’re friends with him too, are you not Kira?” Cat asked, her tone implying that Kara was being slow on the uptake. Cat watched as Kara nodded slowly. “Use that to get close to Stark’s assistant. I want to know what he is trying to accomplish by sending her in person,” Cat explained, not bothering to hide her exasperation.

“Couldn’t you just ask her?” inquired Kara. Her questioned only earned her a stern look.

“If she knows what is going on in Anthony Stark’s brilliant but warped mind, she would never betray his trust. Clearly there is a great deal you don’t understand about the situation.”

Kara bit back the urge to point out the obvious – that she knew next to nothing about the young woman whom she was being forced to bond with. In the two years Kara had worked for Cat Grant, the media mogul had dealt with Tony Stark twice. It was common knowledge that Cat despised Tony Stark, her dislike stemming from an incident that had taken place before the billionaire had become an Avenger. Even without knowing the finer details, Kara knew it had to do with Tony being a notorious womanizer. “Of course, Ms. Grant,” Kara said instead. “Is there anything else?”

“Send her in as soon as she arrives,” instructed Cat.

Nodding, Kara returned to her desk. It had been a long few weeks for the fair haired super hero. Her closest allies were on the run, fugitives from the government. She had only gotten back into the good graces of the citizens of National City and the events following the bombing at the United Nations was already having an adverse effect on that. People had already been torn on the extraterrestrial debate and now superheroes were on the chopping block. On top of all that, she had found out her adoptive father was still alive and being held at a secret government facility. Kara’s whole world had been rocked to the core and then some. All she wanted to do was indulge in a bowl of ice cream and confess all her worries to her sister Alex but she couldn’t. Alex was on the run, searching for their father with the former head of the DEO.

“That looked intense.” 

Kara looked up and found Winn standing beside her desk, a curious look on his face. She smiled gratefully at him; Winn had been her rock since she started working for Cat Grant. He was the first person outside of the Danvers family who knew her secret – that she was Supergirl – and he had been her strongest ally outside the DEO. “She has an appointment with Tony Stark’s assistant and she’s suspicious of her.”

“Maia’s coming here?” Winn asked, his eyes wide with surprise. 

“You didn’t know?” Kara was starting to think she might have been wrong about how close Winn was to the other woman.

“She’s been so busy with the fall out from the bombings and there was everything with Siobhan going on here….” he trailed off, a look of hurt replacing his surprise. In order to regain the favour of National City, Kara had had to put the woman Winn had been seeing in jail.

“Winn,” started Kara but she was quickly silenced by Winn shaking his head at her.

“That’s not your fault,” he insisted for probably the hundredth time. Kara hadn’t like Siobhan in the slightest, but she blamed herself no matter how many times Winn had tried to convince her otherwise. “Siobhan made her choices on her own,” added Winn.

“But if I hadn’t –“

“That wasn’t you, that was the kryptonite,” interjected Winn. He wasn’t going to let Kara beat herself up over Siobhan when he had unintentionally played a hand in what had happened with her as well. His well-meaning advice for Siobhan had put Siobhan on her path to self-destruction as much as Kara’s actions had. “So when’s Maia due in?”

“Two hours from now, but I needed to get way sooner,” came a voice behind Winn. The man whirled around as Kara stood up at her desk. “Surprise!” added Maia with minimal enthusiasm. The young New Yorker looked about as enthusiastic as she sounded. There were dark circles under her eyes and her face was red and tear stained though she was dressed in a crisp looking business suit. Winn immediately threw his arms around Maia and she sank into his embrace. Winn was by no means a big man; compare to the Avengers, Winn would be considered slight. But he wasn’t as slight as Maia.

“Are you okay?” Kara asked as she watched from her desk. 

Maia nodded from Winn’s arms. “Just a rough morning. Tony and I had it out last night and I just needed some time to myself.”

“So you came to see our boss early?” Winn said, raising an eyebrow at her.

Maia lightly smacked his chest. “Don’t be absurd. I came to see my friends. I was hoping to whisk you and Kara away for breakfast. Cat never needs to know and if she finds out, I’ll sweet talk her into over looking it.”

Kara gave a soft snort of disbelief. “No one can sweet talk Ms. Grant.”

“Are you paid to stand around and gossip?” Cat’s stern voice made the trio jump. “I thought I made myself clear this morning, Kira, when Maria showed up.”

“It’s not Kara’s fault. I was hoping to get an hour or so with her and Winn before getting down to Tony’s business,” explained Maia, all traces of vulnerability leaving her. She removed herself from Winn’s arms though she stayed close to him. She did not want to let on to Cat Grant that Maia and Tony were at odds. The last thing Maia needed was to get a speech from Cat about career and life choices. It was a lecture she got every time she spoke to Cat.

Winn and Kara nodded slowly but shrunk back slightly at the withering look on Cat’s face. Though it was directed at Maia, the look still had an effect on them. Maia just raised an eyebrow at Cat. “Well you’re here so let’s get down to business. What does Anthony Stark want from me now?”

“I’m going to be completely honest with you. He needs you to get Supergirl onboard with the Accords.”

“What?” Cat, Winn, and Kara spoke at the same time.

“Why can’t he get any of the masked vigilantes from his city to be his poster child?” Cat demanded. “There’s plenty.”

“The problem is, no one knows who they are outside of Frank Castle. The government wants all heroes across the country to register. Supergirl is your… Captain America,” answered Maia, though she had hesitated at the end. Captain America was exactly the reason Maia had left New York early. Steve and Tony had been at odds since Tony and General Ross had shown up at the facility to discuss the Sokovia Accords.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_“I can’t believe Tony. What the hell is he thinking?” Steve rumbled as he paced the length of his office. Maia was leaning against his desk, her face full of concern for the super soldier. She didn’t have any more answers than Steve had; she had been just as blindsided as the Avengers. “And bring that man here? After the hell he put Banner through?”_

_“I’m sorry,” Maia said softly. She had no idea what to say to Steve, how to calm him down._

_“_ You’re _sorry? Were_ you _behind this? Did_ you _know what Tony was up to?” snapped the blond as he whirled around to face Maia. He saw her flinch and his expression softened. “I’m sorry, Maia. I know you didn’t do any of this,” he sighed as he rubbed at his face with his hands._

_“I should have pressed him more, gotten him out of the lab,” Maia murmured, feeling guilt well up inside her. Out of everyone she knew, Maia had full access to Tony. With JARVIS gone, Tony found himself relying more on Maia than on FRIDAY. The new AI was programmed just as well as the former AI had been but she was still no JARVIS. Maia made up for what Tony was missing. “If I’d paid closer attention to him, I could have stopped this Steve.”_

_Watching Maia, the anger drained out of Steve. “Hey, stop that. None of this is your doing,” he said gently as he closed the distance between them. He placed his hands on the desk on either side of Maia, leaning close to her. Maia blushed as she looked anywhere but at his face. Steve hated that his issues with Tony were hurting Maia. “No one blames you.”_

_“You know I can’t leave Tony, don’t you Steve? Right or wrong, I have to stand by him. Are you still going to feel the same tomorrow? Days, weeks from now?” challenged Maia._

_“I don’t expect you to give up on Tony, Maia.”_

_“You promise Steve?”_

_“Of course. What happens between me and Tony will not end what’s happening with us, Maia.” When Maia finally managed to look up at Steve again, the super soldier leaned down and kissed her sweetly. He and Maia had been quietly seeing each other. No one knew – except possibly Natasha; the woman had stopped trying to set Steve up on dates the same time he had started seeing Maia._

_Maia sighed softly as Steve’s hands moved from the desk to her waist. “I’ll try talking him down, get him to change his mind,” she murmured as she placed her own hands on his arms. She opened her mouth to speak again but Steve was kissing her again before she got another word out. Maia’s eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into him._

_“Hey Capsicle, we need to talk this… making out in the office? I’m proud of you, Cap!”_

_Steve cursed under his breath as he pulled away from Maia. “Get out of here Tony,” the taller man growled as he turned to face his fellow Avenger._

_Tony opened his mouth to tease Steve further but nothing came out. Instead his eyes widened when he glimpsed the woman standing behind Steve, blushing and looking at her feet. “What the hell, Rogers?” he demanded instead._

_“Calm down, Tony,” Steve said._

_“This is not happening. This can’t happen! What the hell were you thinking?!” Tony’s anger wasn’t directed at Steve, though. His focus was on Maia and only her._

_“You don’t get to dictate who she’s with,” Steve stated, stepping back to stand beside Maia. Tony watched as Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “This has nothing to do with me and you.”_

_“It has everything to do with us! As long as you fight me on these Accords, Steve, my staff can’t be seen fraternizing with you!”_

_“Steve, can I have a moment with Tony?” Both of the Avengers looked down at Maia, who just smiled at Steve and nodded. “It’s fine, I promise.” Steve nodded and removed his arm from Maia’s shoulders before leaving the office. Once the door was closed, Maia fixed Tony with a glare so fierce it made him take a step back. “What the hell is your problem? Seriously Tony! Do you have to piss everyone off?”_

_“Maia, you’re my personal assistant! You represent me and my interests! You can’t be with someone who goes against them!” he shot back, exasperated. He quickly moved to where Maia was standing, still glaring at him. “Maia, I need you. I can’t do this without your help,” Tony pleaded as he reached out to her, placing his hands on her arms._

_“I’m against the Accords,” Maia stated bluntly. Tony’s eyes widened in surprise before a frown settled on his face. “I don’t trust that man, Tony. I don’t think General Ross has the best interest of the world in mind.”_

_“We need to be kept in check, accountable to someone!” insisted Tony._

_“How are the Avengers responsible for what aliens do? HYDRA was behind DC. You and Bruce created Ultron, but you also gave us The Vision,” Maia started. “But you’re right that the team needs to be accountable. Just… this is not the way, Tony! Registering on a government list? Tony, you have enough enemies as it is from being out in the open! Think about what this will mean for the rest of the team! Do you honestly think Bruce will ever come back once you go public with this? And what about Clint and his family?”_

_“I’m doing this to protect people!”_

_“You’re doing this to assuage your own guilt! You’re selfish and you don’t think these things through!”_

_Tony stepped back, his arms dropping to his sides, and shook his head at Maia. “It’s me or him, Maia. It can’t be both,” he told her._

_Maia moved away from the desk and towards the door. “I’ll do my job, Tony, but my love life is none of your business,” she told him as she passed him and threw the office door open to storm out._

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Of course that man would send you in to do his dirty work.”

“You mean my job, Cat. I’m assisting him. All he wants is a sit down with Supergirl to talk to her about the Accords. You’re her biggest advocate. Surely you can help me connect with her?” countered Maia. 

“So Tony Stark expects Supergirl to just reveal her secret identity to the whole world because everyone knows who the Avengers are? Is he insane?” Winn asked, incredulous. He was among the handful of people who knew who Supergirl was. Guarding her identity was one of his top priorities. There was too much at stake for such a reveal to be beneficial.

“That’s one aspect of it,” admitted Maia. “The whole point is to minimize collateral damage, to legitimatize heroes and to keep things transparent.”

“And it will make getting Superman onboard that much easier as well,” mused Cat. 

“I’m sure that’s one of the goals,” Maia said with a shrug. She ran a hand through her hair and gave Cat a tiny smile. “Please Cat? I’m not asking as Tony Stark’s assistant. I’m asking as family. Just a meeting, nothing more.”

“Family?” Winn and Kara asked at the same time, looking between Maia and Cat. Neither could see any resemblance between the two women. Maia was average height, with soft and delicate features. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun and her eyes were a similar shade of chocolate brown. Cat, on the either hand, was fair haired. She was slim but lean and she exuded confidence and authority.

She huffed out an exasperated sigh before looking at Maia. “I’ll consider it.” 

“Thanks Cat.”

“If you’re so determined to waste your talents on a man like Anthony Stark, I guess I can’t persuade you out of this foolishness,” added the older woman before she retreated back into her office. 

Maia groaned before turning back to face Winn and Kara. “So… breakfast?”


	3. Chapter 2

“So what are you going to do about Tony Stark?” Winn asked Kara as he helped set the table in her apartment. After breakfast with Maia, their day had gone on uneventfully. Kara hadn’t been needed as Supergirl once that afternoon – a more common occurrence since she had won back the favour of the city. Maia had spent an hour talking privately with Cat but neither Winn nor Kara had heard from her after that.

“I’m going to hear him out,” Kara answered easily. She wanted to give the man a fair chance to explain his plans and ideas. If they were getting government backing, it would only be a matter of time before the DEO was pressured into co-operating.

“You can’t be serious!” exclaimed Winn. The brunet set the silverware down with a clang on the table.

“I agree with Winn. I don’t think a guy like Tony Stark can be trusted,” added James Olsen, the third member of their group. James had been involved with the superhero community longer than Kara had. 

“Have you met him before?” Kara asked.

“I’ve covered a few of his press conferences,” replied James, “but I’ve never had a conversation with the man.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to. He’s a megalomaniac,” muttered Winn. He looked up from fixing the silverware on the table to find his two friends staring at him. “What?”

“You’ve met him?” asked Kara.

“Once. It was after SHIELD fell. Maia needed a date for one of his parties and invited me,” mumbled Winn, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

“You dated Maia?”

“No!” Winn replied quickly, his face going completely red.

“But you want to date her,” mused James.

“She’s seeing someone,” Winn said. He returned his focus to Kara’s table and the place settings in hopes of avoiding further questions from her friends. “We’re just friends.”

“So you’ll be fine with her joining us tonight?” Kara asked Winn, genuinely concerned now. Winn looked back up at her, gaping. “I felt bad about here being here all by herself and she seemed so lonely this morning.”

Shaking his head, Winn just went into the kitchen and grabbed another plate for the table. Kara was his closest friend and she was also the kindest person he had ever known. He should have expected that she would open her home up to Maia. “Thanks,” he told the blonde as he walked by her to add a spot for Maia at the table.

“And who knows? Maybe I’ll learn more about Tony Stark and his plans so I can make the right decision,” Kara added.

“I can’t believe she’s endorsing this,” sighed Winn as he set the plate down. He’d always known Maia to placate Tony Stark’s crazy ideas but he also knew she wouldn’t hold back if she thought the man was doing something wrong. She had no problems putting people in their place or calling them out for doing something she disapproved of. Winn was suddenly thankful Maia had never met Siobhan. That meeting would not have gone well, especially after Siobhan had become a super villain.

“She is his employee. She’s paid to do what he says,” James reminded Winn as there was a knock on the door. James cracked a broad grin when Winn moved for the door.

“Come on in, you’re just in time,” he and Kara heard Winn say after he had the door open.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’ll be less awkward now,” was the answer Winn got as the door was closed. Maia followed Winn back to the dining area.

“I’m sure you’d be fine without me,” Winn told her. “You’re always so great around people.

Maia let out a nervous giggle. “Professionally.”

“Well no need to be nervous around us. We’re happy to have you as part of the group,” Kara offered with a kind smile.

“Thanks.” Maia smiled back at the blonde before turning her attention over to James. “We haven’t met, have we?”

“Not officially. I’m James Olsen,” he answered as he extended his hand to Maia.

“Maia Smith.” Maia shook his hand. She watched him closely for a moment before shaking her head. “Olsen, the photographer. You’ve been to several of Tony’s press conferences.”

“The man likes to make headlines, doesn’t he?” 

Maia gave him a tight smile, her cheerful demeanor slipping away briefly. “He’s a complicated man, that’s all,” she murmured.

Winn reached out and placed a hand on Maia’s shoulder. “How about tonight we don’t discuss Tony Stark?”

“The other Avengers are fair game, though! That’s got to be exciting, being friends with superheroes,” Kara said eagerly. If talking about Tony Stark was suddenly off the table, she needed a roundabout way to get some information for herself. “I mean, Captain America is a pretty big deal!”

Maia, who’d been smiling gratefully at Winn, began to blush faintly. “Ye-yeah, Steve… I mean Cap is a great guy. Definitely lives up to his reputation.”

“You’re blushing,” stated Winn.

“Me? Blushing? Never,” scoffed Maia. “You need a hand in the kitchen Kara? Whatever you’re making smells wonderful!” Maia moved towards the kitchen quickly.

“You are blushing!” Winn called after her.

“Now you’re talking crazy!” Maia fired back.

Kara laughed and passed Maia a basket of dinner rolls. “Well, who wouldn’t blush? Captain America is handsome.”

“I suppose, if you like that type,” Maia said, avoiding eye contact with Kara and Winn.

“You called him ‘Steve’,” pointed out Winn.

“I am on a first name basis with all the Avengers. It slips out sometimes.” Maia just rolled her eyes. “Jealous Winn?”

“Because of your crush? What? No way. But your mystery boyfriend probably is,” deflected the dark haired man.

“Oh, you think you’re being cute now, don’t you?” Maia asked her friend as she set the basket of rolls down.

“At least give us his name?” asked Winn as he took a seat. Kara and James had brought the remaining food to the table.

“I’m sure the cat’s been let out of the bag at home knowing Tony,” mumbled Maia as she sat next to Winn. She gave him a tight smile before answering. “I’m dating Steve.”

“Steve?” Winn repeated. “Captain America Steve?” Maia nodded, her expression unchanging. “Isn’t he best friends with Tony?”

Maia let out a snort. “Hardly. What happened to not talking about Tony?”

“You’re dating the paragon of virtue and you didn’t tell me?” continued Win as though Maia had never spoken.

“We didn’t tell anyone. He’s a very public figure, Winn, who has a lot of enemies. It’d be like if you were dating Supergirl. You wouldn’t go public with that, would you?” Winn just cleared his throat and, after a quick glance at Kara and James, shook his head. “That said, are you covertly dating Supergirl, Winn?”

“No!” Kara and Winn both answered.

Maia raised an eyebrow at the two of them, taking in their matching blushes. “Are you dating each other?” she pressed, her curiosity getting the better of her. It was not one of Maia’s finer traits; it was much too Stark-like for her.

“I’m afraid Kara is all mine,” James spoke up, saving Kara and Winn from having to divulge into their lone, awkward kiss. “Winn has a thing for assistants who become supervillains,” he added mischievously, earning him a glare from Winn.

“Winn! I want details! Holding out on me and giving me grief about doing the same!”

“Considering who you’re related to, can you blame me?” countered Winn, earning a glare from Maia and a discreet kick under the table. Winn just scowled at her in response.

“How exactly are you related to Cat Grant, anyway?” Kara asked as she reached for a dinner roll. “You guys look nothing alike.”

“Cat has known my mom’s family for a long time. Cat was my mom’s mentor growing up. Every time I see her she tries to convince me I’m too good to be Ton Stark’s assistant.”

Kara nodded, understanding completely. Cat was to Maia what the Danvers family was to her. “So why’s she getting your name mixed up? I get her calling me ‘Kira’ but if you’re family, why does she call you ‘Maria’?”

“I was born ‘Maria’ but I started going by ‘Maia’ as a teen. A rebellious phase,” admitted Maia. “Cat doesn’t approve.”

“Sounds like Cat Grant to me,” said James.

Maia laughed. “You have no idea!” The others joined in and soon the little group was laughing and sharing stories like they were all old friends.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Tony Stark vs Cat Grant round 1! But will Tony be prepared for the bomb she drops on him? And Kara decides what she needs to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI for the canon of this story - the world does not yet know Bucky Barnes and the Winter Soldier are the same man.

The moment Tony Stark stepped off the elevator, Cat’s floor went completely silent. Cat Grant was one of the biggest names in media, inspiring fear and awe in all those who encountered her. The staff was used to being around some with such a high celebrity status; things like that did not faze them. Tony Stark was on a whole other level – the leading name in clean energy, a bigger name in the technology world than National City’s Maxwell Lord, and one of the leading members of the Avengers. It was hard not to stare at the well dressed and well-groomed billionaire as he strode toward Cat’s office like he owned the whole building. 

“What a quaint little office,” he said aloud, his voice seeming to echo in the eerie silence of the office. Tony liked Cat as much as she liked him.

“Play nice, Tony,” Maia chided from behind the man. She dressed as well as her boss though she wore a skirt and heels rather than dress slacks and shoes. Her dark hair was pulled back and held in place with a hair clip.

“You thinks it’s nicer than the tower?” Tony asked seriously.

“Of course it is. That tower of yours is a gaudy display that is a clear attempt by you to compensate for your short comings.”

Tony stopped in his tracks a mere foot away from Cat. He smirked devilishly at the woman. “I don’t need to compensate for anything.” 

Cat just raised an eyebrow at Tony, completely unfazed by him. “Why don’t we step into my office and get down to business so you can get out of my city and back to New York,” she suggested before retreating back to her office. 

Tony followed her, breezing by Kara’s desk without even a glance at the blonde. Any other day Tony likely would have stopped to flirt with her. At that moment, though, all Tony wanted to do was finish his business with Cat and return to New York like Cat had suggested. Things had escalate between the Avengers rather quickly, with Steve still at odds with him. It was driving a wedge in the team and causing Tony’s new mission more harm than good. He had yet to tell Maia what had been happening in the city since she had left for National City and he was dreading telling her at all. He knew it was going to break her heart and the last thing Tony wanted to do was be the cause of anymore heartbreak where she was concerned. 

“Let’s get on with this farce,” Cat said as she and Tony sat across from each other while Maia stood just behind Tony’s chair.

“All I need to know is that you got your precious Supergirl on board with the Sokovia Accords and I’ll be back in New York within the hour,” stated Tony.

“No and I don’t intend to.” Tony glanced over his shoulder at Maia quickly. “Don’t blame her. She did her due diligence for you, Anthony. I made up my mind after doing some digging into these accords. Why should heroes like Supergirl have to suffer because you have a propensity for destroying whole cities?”

“Supergirl doesn’t have a squeaky clean record herself. I seem to recall an incident where even you, her biggest fan, denounced her for her actions against the city,” Tony said, his eyes narrowing at Cat.

Cat scowled at Tony before composing herself to continue on. “Super girl’s only focus is National City. She’s not a global hero like Captain America. You already have a golden boy at your beck and call.”

“Rogers went AWOL. Him and the Falcon,” confessed Tony. He braced himself for Maia’s reaction. He turned to face her when all he heard was a gasp from her. She was staring at him, wide eyed, but quiet. “We think they’re aiding the rogue HYDRA fugitive The Winter Soldier,” he added without taking his eyes off of Maia.

“You want Supergirl to stand in his place.”

“She would be a great help in assuring the world the Accords are working for them. The world wants heroes who are going to be held accountable for their actions, not vigilantes running around and destroying cities,” Tony told Cat.

“And will you finally be accountable for your actions? I saw the footage from Wakanda last year,” continued Cat without missing a beat. She had no qualms about tearing Tony to pieces. “And that’s not taking into consideration everything else you have done in your life that you need to be held accountable for.”

“Can we put the personal vendetta aside for a moment?” Tony asked sincerely. “This is a serious issue, Cat. If we don’t get on board with this now, it’s only a matter of time before the government forces it on us. Supergirl and Superman included.”

“And you don’t have some sort of agenda? You’re not profiting at all from this?”

“I’m trying to keep my friends and the world safe,” Tony replied as he leaned back in his chair. He looked worn down, almost haggard in that moment. Everything leading up to that moment was finally starting to hit him. While he found it oddly pleasurable to match wits with Cat Grant, it was just adding to his burdens that day.

Cat noticed the sudden change in the billionaire as well and felt a momentary tinge of guilt for what she was about to do next. But it had to be addressed if there was to be any certainty of Tony’s true motives behind trying to recruit Supergirl to his cause. She opened a desk drawer and pulled out a manila folder and set it down on her desk. The folder had arrived at her doorstep the morning after Maia had shown up in National City. “This isn’t your way of trying to legitimize a witch hunt for the one responsible for your parents’ death, is it?” she asked slowly.

Tony went rigid in his chair as Maia inhaled sharply. After the fall of SHIELD, Steve and Natasha had told Tony what had been revealed to them about the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark – which HYDRA had orchestrated the event to look like an accident. It was knowledge known only amongst the Avengers; it had not been deemed suspicious by SHIELD and those in HYDRA had been careful not to leave any traceable ties of the incident in SHIELD’s systems. It had not been part of the Black Widow’s data leak to the world in much the same way Clint Barton’s family had not been. “What are you doing Cat?” Tony demanded hoarsely. His mouth had gone dry the moment Cat had pulled the folder out.

“It’s no secret the incident at the UN is being blamed on the Winter Soldier,” the blonde woman said as she flipped the folder open. “But there’s more to that, isn’t there? This was a truly interesting read, I’ll admit. Seventy years of atrocities committed by this man, including the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark.”

“You don’t understand the situation,” Maia spoke up before Tony could. Cat and Tony both turned to look at her. “Please drop this, both of you. This is not what we’re here to discuss.”

“This is integral to this conversation. I’m not excusing this man’s actions but I am not going to help endorse Tony’s vendetta,” Cat countered, her tone filled with annoyance that Maia had interrupted. 

“Maia, go get me a coffee or something equally strong,” Tony said suddenly.

“You want coffee?” the younger woman asked incredulously.

“There’s a surprise,” huffed Cat.

“I’ll have you know I’ve been cutting back,” grumbled Tony in his own defense. He gave Maia a stern look. “Do I have to ask you again?”

Maia nodded once at Tony. “One black coffee coming up,” she said before turning to go. Maia was only just at the office door when she heard Tony speak to Cat again. “And you wonder why she won’t leave me for you.” The wrath in his voice made Maia move quickly. Even when she was feuding with Tony, he was still always looking out for her in his own way. There was no way she would ever be able to pick between him and Steve. If there was even a choice anymore; she had just spoken with Steve the day she arrived in National City and everything seemed normal. Now he had apparently gone rogue. Everything was escalating so quickly and Maia didn’t know if things could be fixed anymore.

With a sigh, Maia pulled out a little flip phone she had picked up to talk to Steve on. It was a safer way for them to talk than on the phone Tony had given her. She scrolled throw her few contacts until she came to Steve’s secure line. She hoped he would answer. She needed to hear his voice, to know he was okay. She waited as the phone rang and rang. Her heart sank when Steve’s voicemail kicked in. “Steve, what’s going on? Please, please call me back!” she pleaded desperately before the voicemail cut her off. The sinking feeling she had before the call only got worse as she flipped her phone closed and made her way to the coffee shop.

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“So what did you find out?” Winn asked when he, Kara, and James had assembled in their private office space at lunch.

“Nothing good,” replied Kara as she folded her arms over her chest and leaned against a wall. “Even Cat doesn’t trust Stark’s motives.” 

Winn frowned as he sat down in front of his computer set up. He did not like the sounds of what Kara had just told him. He was worried about Maia being so close to the middle of everything. “This isn’t good at all,” he sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands.

“That’s not even the worst of it,” added Kara, earning a groan from Winn.

“What could be worse than Tony Stark’s personal motives?” James asked as he moved to stand with Kara.

“Captain America and the Falcon have gone rogue. Stark wants me to be his new Captain America,” she replied as she shifted closer to James. “Maia doesn’t know this last part, but Stark suspects it has to do with the Captain’s friend from the war. A man named Barnes?”

“Bucky Barnes?!” exclaimed Win, his eyes lighting up. Everybody knew about Sergeant James Buchannan Barnes from grade school history. Captain America’s best friend who died during the war. “He’s alive?!”

“He’s the man responsible for everything that happened in DC,” Kara said grimly.

“What? How?” Winn frowned at Kara, wishing he had her super hearing so he could have heard everything for himself. Bucky Barnes was just as big a hero as Captain America; the idea that he was behind the fall of SHIELD was inconceivable. 

“They didn’t go into too much detail but he’s been part of HYDRA going by the name ‘Winter Soldier’,” Kara told her friend.

“So the Winter Soldier and James Barnes are the same guy? Barnes’ death happened during the Second World War. The man would be in his nineties by now,” pointed out James.

“Whatever HYDRA did must have kept him alive. Suspended animation or something like that. Like the ice kept Captain America alive,” mused Winn. 

“But why would he switch sides? If he’s friends with Captain America, why was he working with HYDRA? From everything that’s out there about HYDRA, they’re worse than any of the Fort Rozz escapees we’ve dealt with,” pondered Kara. The blonde haired woman felt conflicted by the information she had picked up listening in on Cat and Tony’s meeting. Since Captain America had returned to the world, Kara had held him up on a pedestal much like she did her cousin. Now he had turned his back on his team for the sake of one of the most wanted men on the planet.

“Something definitely isn’t adding up about this whole situation,” agreed James.

“After everything that’s happened with the DEO, do you really trust the government to determine where and when you’re supposed to save the day?” Winn asked her.

Kara shook her head. “Everything that’s been happening with Alex and Hank has been because the government doesn’t trust people like me. Who knows what they could order us to do?”

“So what are you going to do?” James asked her.

“I’m going to pay Stark a visit.”


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maia and Steve finally have a chance to talk but it doesn't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this story isn't dead. I'm just really bad at posting and I got engrossed in trimming down the stack of novels I have to read.

Maia paced her hotel room, her burner phone in hand. Tony was out to dinner with some government officials so she didn’t need to hide the phone. She’d tried Steve several more times since that morning, getting the voicemail each time. She didn’t need the details about what had happened but she did need to know that he was okay. When the phone began to vibrate in her hand, Maia let out a little cry and quickly flipped it open. “Steve??” she asked quickly.

_“Tony around?”_

Maia shook her head even though Steve couldn’t see her. “No. He’s having dinner with Ross and a man named Lane,” she replied. Maia moved to sit on the room’s sofa and drew her legs up on it. “I’ve been so worried! Are you okay?”

_“A few cuts and bruises, but I’m good. I’m sorry I worried you.”_

“Tony said you went AWOL. You should have told me something was going on!” Maia stated with a little huff. “I could help.”

There was a soft sigh before Steve spoke again. _“The less you know, the safer you are Maia.”_ There was a pause and Maia knee Steve was thinking carefully about what he would say next. _“We found him, Maia. Sam and I finally found him.”_

Maia’s breath caught in her throat at Steve’s words. She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes and used her free hand to swipe them away. “Is he… is he Bucky?”

_“He’s not the Soldier if that’s what you mean. He’s remembering things about himself, about me.”_

Maia smiled as she held the phone to her ear. “I’m so relieved and so happy for you, Steve.”

Steve chuckled. _“We’re not out of the woods yet, but thank you. I’m glad you’re safe in National City. Things are going to get worse in New York.”_

“It’s going to be bad everywhere,” sighed Maia. “Cat Grant has a folder all about Bucky, Steve. I think there’s something bigger than Tony at play.”

_“What?”_ Maia could practically see the frown on Steve’s face when he spoke. She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped as she pictured his brow creased in worry and the subtle downward curve of his lips. _“Are you giggling?”_

Maia bit her lip before answering. She needed to be calm and serious. “I’m sorry, Steve. But I can just picture you frowning and you know your serious face is really sexy.”

There was another chuckle before Steve spoke again. _“The apple really didn’t fall far from the tree, huh?”_

“Oh hush!” groaned Maia. “I miss you,” she added in a quieter voice. 

_“I miss you too.”_

Maia smiled at the way Steve’s voice softened. It was a softness reserved for her only and it made her feel safer and happier than she had ever been. Steve Rogers wasn’t a rough person by any means but he handled Maia like she was glass. Maia wasn’t a delicate type of woman but she found Steve’s actions endearing. “I wish we could see each other. Things are going to blow over soon, right?”

_“I… I don’t know. I hope so.” The doubt in Steve’s voice was clear even though he was trying to be reassuring._

Maia sank back against the couch she was on and closed her eyes. She wanted to yell and lash out at someone or something. Maia wasn’t the type of person to cry when things got tough but she felt like she would break down any moment. She was in the middle of a conflict between the two most important men in her life and although Steve would never ask her to choose a side, Maia knew she would have to sooner or later. A dull thump pulled Maia from her thoughts. “I just heard something on the balcony,” she whispered into the phone. She pushed herself off the couch, ignoring Steve’s pleas that she get out of the hotel room. She approached the door slowly, her hand tightening around her phone. The balcony door slid open and s figure strode in, crashing right into Maia. The dark haired woman let out a yelp and dropped her phone, the impact with the floor knocking the battery out. Maia glanced up at the intruder and let out a surprised gasp. “Oh my god!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_“I miss you.”_

Maia’s words were quiet but they made Steve smile. They had been apart more times than he could count since he and Maia had started dating, but there was something different this time around. There was a war brewing between the Avengers and Steve didn’t know when he would get to see Maia again. “I miss you too,” he said softly, a smile on his face. 

_“I wish we could see each other. Things are going to blow over soon, right?”_

Steve could hear the vulnerability in her question; Maia rarely voiced her worries. The young woman made it a habit to appear cheerful. If she was displeased with a person, she made it quite clear but outside of joy and anger she kept her feelings quiet. The first time she had confided her worries to Steve, he had been surprised to say the least. He considered it a personal victory every time she opened up to him afterwards. Steve glanced behind him, into the safe house he had exited to finally return Maia’s call. Sam and Bucky were still inside, unaware of what Steve and Maia were talking about.

To be quite honest, Steve wanted to back track and ask Maia about that file. For Bucky’s sake, Steve needed to know what was in it and how to prevent a media mogul like Cat Grant from making it public. Bucky did not deserve to be put through anymore hell than he’d already been through. In a way, Bucky was in the same boat as Maia – both of them were being thrown into the middle of a fight neither of them asked to be part of. Steve cared about them both and would fight to keep them both safe. He feared, though, that his commitment to Bucky would just add fuel to Tony’s fire. Steve was aiding and harbouring a man wanted by the exact same people Tony was working with. There was no way anything would just blow over with Bucky involved but Steve wasn’t going to turn his back on his friend just to make an uneasy peace with Tony or Thaddeus Ross.  
“I… I don’t know. I hope so,” he finally replied, trying to sound as reassuring as he could. This was one fight Steve Rogers was unsure he would be able to win. He turned his attention away from the same house and moved over to the porch railing to lean against it as the conversation went quiet. His eyes roamed over the backyard and he let his mind wander. Everything he had wanted from life had almost been within his grasp. Things with Maia had been going well and Steve had been thinking he was ready to take the next big step – asking her to consider moving in with him, maybe let the team know about their relationship. He trusted every member of his team with his life and knew they would do everything in their power to help him keep Maia safe.

_“I heard something on the balcony.”_

Though it was a whisper, Maia’s words cut through Steve’s reveries easily. He felt his blood run cold as he began to worry about which of his or Tony’s many enemies would have access to a penthouse suite. “Maia, you need to get out of there now. Call Tony and get somewhere safe!” he instructed. Steve heard the sound of a sliding door being forced open and what sounded like a scuffle to him before Maia let out a yelp. “Maia!” Steve exclaimed as the call disconnected. He pushed away from the porch rail and stormed inside.  
Sam met him in the hallway. “I heard you yell. Everything okay, man?” Sam asked, his brow creased with worry. 

“Something’s happened to Maia,” Steve said tersely as he strode by Sam and into the living room where Bucky was seated, his jacket and top removed and tossed over the back of the couch. Sitting in a chair next to him was a young woman with a tool box at her feet, working on Bucky’s metal arm – a friend of Sam’s from his military days that Sam swore was trustworthy.

Bucky looked up at Steve, meeting his gaze. “What is it?” he asked quietly.

“Someone important to me is in danger. I have to go to her,” Steve told him. “Will you be okay without me here?”

Bucky gave a nod. “I’ll be fine with Sam and Emily,” the shaggy haired former assassin answered.

“Thanks, Buck.”

“Go, punk. Save your gal,” Bucky told him, a ghost of a smirk gracing his face.

“Thanks, jerk,” Steve said with a quick shake of his head before he left Bucky behind to save the day.


End file.
